The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Fallen Barm (Peter Reinhart)

Irismiam's picture
Irismiam

Fallen Barm (Peter Reinhart)

First of al, I’m new to sourdough bread making. I started a seed culture for barm to make sourdough according to the Peter Reinhart.  (Recipe in “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice” pg 229).

On the third evening the culture had risen and on the 4th day when I go up I saw that it had fallen overnight. Rather than throwing the whole thing out I held back 10.25 grams, the same weight of flour and water for day 1, and then I continued as if I were now on day two and added 4.5 ounces flour and 1/2 cup water.

Is this going to work or should I have started all over with fresh ingredients?

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

"On the third evening the culture had risen and on the 4th day when I go up I saw that it had fallen overnight."

I thought rising and falling is normal behavior for a sourdough culture, whether it is called a barm or a starter.

Irismiam's picture
Irismiam

Actually it was the seed culture that fell. But my problem is that I don’t know how long you can wait to refresh once it has fallen. I don’t know how many hours had gone by, possibly 8 or 9 hours. Can you wait that long to refresh? How many hours can you let go by before refreshing after it has fallen?